GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Alaska: AK-16
St. John Berchmans Church
P.O. Box 131
Galena, AK 99741
Phone: 907-656-1240
History: St. John Berchmans Church, Galena, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, has been a small and predominantly Native American (Koyukon) parish on the Yukon River in the Diocese of Fairbanks (Archives: Fairbanks, Alaska).
|
1870s |
Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Archives: Victoria, British Columbia) visited Galena (Koyukon) |
|
1880s |
Jesuits (Turin Province) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri) visited Galena |
|
1921-1960 |
Jesuits (California, Oregon Provinces) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri) from St. Peter’s, Nulato, established and attended St. John Berchmans Mission (Koyukon) |
|
1960-1960s |
Became a parish; Jesuits administered St. John Berchmans Church |
|
1966-1980 |
Jesuits attended St. John’s from St. Aloysius, Tanana |
|
1971 |
Because of flooding, the town of Galena relocated to a new site |
|
1978-1990 |
St. Columbans Foreign Mission Society (U.S. Region) (St. Columbans, Nebraska) administered St. John’s |
|
1984-1988 |
A new church was built at “New Town” |
|
1981-1990 |
Various women religious ministered to St. John’s including 1 or more members of the Sisters of St. Ann, Dominican Sisters, and Sisters of Notre Dame |
|
1990-present |
Franciscans (Sacred Heart Province) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri) and Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (Milwaukee Province) (Archives: Milwaukee, Wisconsin), have ministered to St. John’s and shared in its administration |
|
1990s-present |
Permanent deacons (Yupik Eskimo) have served the parish |
|
1990s-present |
Visiting Fairbanks diocesan priests and diocesan ministry team members have ministered to St. John’s as needed |
|
2003-2010s (closed) |
The Kateri Tekakwitha Native Interior Ministry Study Center was established and administered at St. John’s by a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and a Sister of St. Joseph |
Jesuits, St. Columbans Foreign Mission Society, and Franciscans from St. John’s, Galena, have attended the following Native (Koyukon) missions:
|
1960-1966 (became a parish) |
St. Aloysius Church, Tanana |
|
1960-1987 (became a parish) |
St. Peter in Chains Mission, Ruby |
|
1980-1990s (became a parish) |
St. Patrick Mission, Koyukuk |
|
1998-present |
Our Lady of the Snows Church, Nulatto |
|
1989-present |
St. Francis Regis Mission, Huslia (Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur have attended this mission as well) |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1960-ongoing
Volume: Several volumes
Description: Sacramental records (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials) for the Native American parishioners of St. John Berchmans Church and its attended missions.
Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Marquette University Archives.
new2006/rev2020
